smart spaces brainy meets brawny sectionals 101 do more with less home fashion inspiration in a stylish workspace design what you need to know

Transcription

1 home fashion inspiration September 2014 smart spaces brainy meets brawny in a stylish workspace design sectionals 101 what you need to know do more with less power-packed end tables...and rugs

2 working... smart New looks for home office are drawing on some old ideas. Want to smarten up your workspace this fall? Why not mix your brainy new gadgets with some brawny, old-school design? The Shayneville collection packs style and function into a small space with a retro urban-industrial design. A vintage wood finish with gunmetal-colored accents complement smart storage pieces and chic counter-height desks that let you sit or stand to work. Shayneville Counter Height Drafting Desk & File Cabinet With faux leather cushion top, adjustableheight swivel base and metal footrest, this drafting stool couldn t get more practical or stylish. Shayneville Counter Height Drafting Desk Inspired by the retro industrial drafting table, this 42 x 26 workhorse features a tall adjustable tilt-top surface, pencil ledge and drop front drawer for a keyboard or writing instruments. Shayneville Stool Shayneville Large Bookcase This sturdy x-brace bookcase can t hide its industrial roots. Warm wood shelves complement a tubular metal construction. Shayneville File Cabinet At just 21 wide, this slender counterheight file takes no room at all. But it boasts a file and storage drawer... plus smart pull-out work surface with power strip and USB charger. Shayneville Large Desk Need more space? Blend industrial-grade function and retro city style with a bigger desk. At almost 57 long by 30 deep, you can sprawl out project work and store supplies on easily accessed shelves below the table top. 2

3 savvy about... sectionals They re streamlined and comfy but are they right for your room? Today s sectionals come in a myriad of shapes and sizes. But is a sprawling, multi-seat sectional the right choice for every space? These cornerturners are certainly loaded with benefits, but do their pros always outweigh their cons? Read on to find out if a sectional is the smart choice in your space. Then use our designer tricks to make sure you love how it looks and works for you! Exhilaration Sectional the pros Sectionals are born for open floor plans instantly zoning off the living room. They re conversation-worthy and big on togetherness. They can streamline a small space, or help fill a big one! Can anyone say comfort? the cons Large sectionals can be space hogs. Extra footsteps may be needed to walk around them. Positioning lamps, tables and the TV takes some creativity. They can make other furniture look too small. September 2014 TrendWatch 3

4 FURNITURE FACT! If your room suits a simple square-shaped seating arrangement, consider if a sofa and loveseat is a better choice than a sectional. A corner end table and lamp may be more useful than an unused corner sectional seat. FURNITURE FACT! Choose a sectional with angled (or curved) corner seat if you want a corner that s usable as a seat. These sectionals tend to be bigger though, so, if space is tight, a smaller square-cornered sectional plus a chair will yield more seating capacity. FURNITURE FACT! A sectional makes its own compelling focal point! Keep other pieces of furniture in the room to a minimum and make sure each is large enough not to look dwarfed in comparison. sectionals how to make them work in your room! choosing the configuration Sanya Sectional So many options so little time (or is it space?) Buying a sectional is trickier than buying a sofa. Size and shape matter as much as style and comfort, so you ll need to factor in some other considerations like how many people it ll need to seat, how traffic will flow to and from it, and how much overall space it needs (so it doesn t overtake your room). Below are the four most common configurations in the market for both stationary and reclining sectionals. A sofa with chaise lounge on one end is ideal for smaller spaces. Longer in length than width, it s also a good choice when most of the room s focus is on the TV since nearly everyone can face the screen. Patola Park Sectional Larkinhurst Sectional An L-shaped sectional is inspired by the very first modular sectionals. Basic, but versatile, they ve proved as timeless as they are practical. The two-sided shape makes it easy to place a center table, and it works well with accent chairs. Chamberly Sectional FURNITURE FACT! Place a sofa table behind one length of your sectional. In the absence of a corner end table, it s a handy place to put books or a lamp. A U-shaped sectional is increasingly popular. With a chaise lounge on one side, it s a comfortable, cocooning configuration that strongly defines a cozy seating area in a large room. Its size can be problematic for small rooms, and requires good planning for coffee table placement. A free-form sectional is the ultimate choice when space is plentiful. Typically a modified U-shape, this three-sided configuration allows easy movement - and a large table at its center. Its sheer size and shape require open space around it, both to play up its sculptural quality, and to ensure its free-form shape doesn t compete with the architecture. 4

5 choosing the location What s the best place to position a sectional in your room? You ve got 3 options. But consider the shape of the sectional as you choose one! choosing the table Simple rule of thumb! Determine the shape your sectional s two (or three) sides create at its center; it ll be either a square (left) or rectangle (right). Then choose a table that s the same shape. (A square shape also works with a circular table; a rectangular shape with an oval table.) IN THE CORNER. Left. A smart option in a small room but use a square-cornered sectional here; it follows the lines of your architecture, so fits snugly. Right. A curvedcorner sectional leaves an awkward gap in the corner. If the gap is large enough, fill it with a large plant or multi-branched floor lamp. placing the tables Accent chairs can improve conversation and TV viewing! Left. If the chair matches the sectional, place it close-by, with a table and lamp between the two. Right. Non-matching chairs work better across the room. AGAINST ONE WALL. Left. When half the sectional will float into the room, a squarecornered works best. Right. If using a curvedcorner sectional, fill the curve-shaped gap by the wall with a large plant or floor lamp. OUT IN THE OPEN. Floating a sectional in an open space is a dramatic way to zone off the seating area though it does require walking around the furniture. Left. A corner-shaped sectional is ideal here, creating an easy traffic flow. Right. A square-shaped sectional also works, mimicking a low-height cornered wall. placing the TV Left. To improve TV viewing positions, place the TV at a 45-degree angle to the sectional s two primary seating directions. Right. If viewing the TV straight on, choose a sectional with the majority of seats on one side. In either case, an extra chair or two may be needed. September 2014 TrendWatch 5

6 taking sides Smart chair-side tables let you sit (or sleep!) tight... They go from lightweight to power-packed. And they re proof positive that good things do come in small packages. Marrying a chair with its own table may not be a new idea but in our opinion, it s one of the brightest- especially when that table is simultaneously compact, stylish and smart! Each chair-side table in our vast collection packs quite a punch. In fact, at less than 16 wide, each offers more style and utility in its small patch of real estate than any piece of furniture we know. But don t let the chair-side table label limit you. They work just as well between two chairs, next to a long sectional or sofa, or even as a bedside nightstand. Chairside End Table Chairside End Table lighten up This compact wood cabinet offers more than a pretty face; its quiet, slender proportions feel compact and lightweight but there s plenty of room up top for a reading lamp. Chairside End Table go clutter-free You ll keep clutter at bay with storage packed into every nook and cranny. On the front, a door conceals an ample storage cabinet; on the back, an easilyaccessed rack stashes magazines. Chairside End Table get recharged Plenty of hidden cabinet features let you recharge and refuel your batteries. A flip-top panel reveals power and USB ports, while an extendable drawer tray stashes your favorite drink and gadgets. 6

7 end table or nightstand? you decide. make it an end table Alliston DuraBlend Sectional beside a sectional An end table beside a long sectional or sofa can be one piece of furniture too many. But a narrow table is ideal here especially one with enough room for a lamp and easily-reached storage. Chairside End Table Chairside End Table Loral Swivel Chair beside a recliner Chair-side tables are born for a recliner but they re small enough to work with any chair. make it a nightstand Newton Chair Chairside End Table between two chairs Dial up seating capacity by replacing a loveseat with two chairs and dail up function by separating them with a narrow table. and super-size your bed! Do the math! Replacing two nightstands with two narrow chair-side tables will save you in width giving you much more than the 6 extra space you need to upgrade your bed from full-sized to queen-sized or from queen-sized to king-sized. It also creates an eclectic look in your bedroom. Stages Poster Bed & Nightstand Pinnadel Chairside Table Chairside End Table Stages Poster Bed Prentice Panel Bed or your kid s bed! A bigger bed is the wish of many growing kids. But a full-sized bed requires 15 more space than a twin that s a lot in a small space. Using a chairside table instead of a nightstand saves about 6, making a bigger bed easier to fit into some rooms. September 2014 TrendWatch 7

8 Q & A can I change my décor with just one thing? We don t have a budget to replace our furniture, but our living room needs help. Is there one thing we can do or invest in that will really freshen things up? Charlie Bowling Green, KY Dear Charlie It s easy to think new furniture is required to change the look of your room. So you ve asked a great question! Yes, there is one item that rarely fails to work its magic in a room anchoring the furniture, expanding the perceived size of the space, adding a bit of artistry and tying the colors together. What is it? A simple area rug. A stylish area rug s large surface area is as workable on walls as itis on floors, and it s guaranteed to make an impact. Here s what it ll do in your living room: Anchor the furniture. An area rug visually brings the pieces of a room together like nothing else defining your seating area and creating a cozier-looking space. This is critical in an open floor plan, but even small rooms benefit from a furniture anchor. Make sure at least the front legs of the sofa and chairs touch the rug. And also that the rug s shape reflects the shape of your seating area. Most sitting areas are rectangular so they work well anchored by a rectangular area rug. Expand the space. When all the key pieces of furniture in a room are placed at a slight angle, a room looks both wider and bigger. Angling just your area rug as little as 15 to 25 degrees) works too and you won t have to move the furniture! Add some pattern. Zesty patterned area rugs can add energy to a space; wavy patterned or textured rugs add calmness. Both perfectly contrast today s trend to solid-colored upholstery, adding much-needed visual interest. Remember, too, that area rugs aren t just for floors. They re easily hung on a large, open wall ( the most inexpensive artwork we know) simply by attaching them to a carpet nailing strip. Harmonize your color scheme. An area rug can tie your entire design scheme together. Make sure your area rug complements your existing furniture but also includes other colors or textures. Then carry the rug s colors or textures into pillows, accents or artwork to create a harmonious, pulled-together look! Got a question you d like answered in this column? Submit it at: DesignQA@Ashleyfurniture.com 6